


Unwritten

by justdreaming88



Category: West Wing
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-05-07
Updated: 2012-05-07
Packaged: 2017-11-04 23:36:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 7,350
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/399459
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/justdreaming88/pseuds/justdreaming88
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><i>Two girls in grey school uniform walking down a New England street, hand-in-hand, school bags on their backs and instrument boxes in their free hands.</i><br/>Ellie and some of her road to happiness.</p><p>Written 2006-2007 ish but mostly set sometime between seasons 2 and 4.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

She was fifteen when she developed her first serious crush on another girl. The others had been minor fleeting fancies but Suzanne was different. Ellie's Catholicism taught her that homosexuality was an abomination, but she lived in a modern world and it didn't stop her from loving the daily glimpse of Sue's leg when she sat down next to Ellie on the bus. Her knee length skirt riding up, showing the skin between the hem and her regulation school socks.

It was more than just her legs, the shape of them and the pale creamy skin. It was her laugh, and the way she smiled showing her braces. The way she seemed to exude confidence and passed some of it on to Ellie, who was painfully shy and on a good day, a Sue day, was only a little shy.

The fact that they were friends made it hard for the middle Bartlet girl to block the redhead from her thoughts. They weren't best friends, but close and had common interests; they were both in the orchestra and had History together twice a week. They used the same bus stop on the days that they went home late after orchestra, even though the school bus picked them up at different stops.

On one of these walks between the bus stop and the corner where Suzanne went left, and Ellie straight on, Ellie broke the comfortable silence between them. In a fumbling, nervous way she managed to tell Sue she thought that she was a lesbian or at least bisexual, and that she liked the other girl. Sue was quiet for a tense moment after Ellie stopped speaking but took Ellie's hand in hers and gave it a gentle squeeze. Ellie's gaze flicked between their joined hands, Sue's eyes and lips, and the street around, desperately hoping that Suzanne would say something soon. Instead Sue lent towards her, tilting her head down slightly, and their lips brushed softly for a moment, an unfamiliar and hesitant action.

"I like you too," Sue replied and kept hold of Ellie's hand as they continued to walk towards the corner. Two girls in grey school uniform walking down a New England street, hand-in-hand, school bags on their backs and instrument boxes in their free hands, happy and walking closer together than friends often would.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> She met a girl in one of her anaesthesiology classes.

Ellie dates a guy in her last year of high school and a few more in college, but there are girls too and she's sure now that she's bi. It's four years since Suzanne, since holding hands in school uniform and stealing an occasional kiss in, hopefully, discreet places despite most of their year, most of the pupils knowing they're together. Things with Suzanne ended gently enough, Sue moved further north for her last two years of high-school with her dad's job and Ellie didn't date anyone she went to school with again.

 

When she was in her first year of college, she met a girl in one of her anaesthesiology classes. Laura was tall, with straight brown hair, and reminded Ellie a little of Liz, but not any extent that made dating her, like dating her sister. Then, the day after she and Laura slept together for the first time, her dad won the New Hampshire primary. It was a messy break up, that left Ellie crying, as Laura slammed the dorm room door, and wishing (not for the first time) that her father wasn't a politician. Wishing that he wasn't running for President, and that she didn't feel that it was necessary to break up with Laura.

 

A few days later Ellie walked into her godmother's office,

 

"Hi Helen," she greeted Millie's assistant.

 

"Hello Ellie, she's with a patient at the moment but if you can wait fifteen minutes?"

 

"That's fine. I've got all afternoon. No classes for the rest of today."

 

Ellie waits quietly, her pre-prepared statement, running through her head; she idly flicks through a magazine from her bag but does not see the pages in front of her. She jumps as the office door opens, revealing her godmother and the patient chatting as they walk out; they shake hands and Millie turns to Ellie, greeting her with a hug.

 

"Hello El," Millie said as they parted. "Do you want to come inside," she indicated her office, "or go somewhere else?"

 

"Inside is fine Millie. Thanks."

 

They went inside and made small talk for a while.

 

"As nice as it is to see you, and it isn't often enough. When you called, you said there was something you wanted to talk about."

 

Ellie sighed and sat back in her chair.

 

"I'm bisexual."

 

Millicent was silent, and gestured for Ellie to continue.

 

"Dad and Mom don't know, you're the first person I've told, well apart from some people at college, but now that Dad's running and winning I can't tell them. It'll hurt the campaign, even I know that, but how am I supposed to hide part of me?"

 

Millie stood up and enfolded Ellie in a careful hug, mindful that she was still seated.

 

"I'm sorry...you'll have to hide this. It's the only option."

 

Ellie wiped away the tears that had flowed down her cheeks and returned her godmother's hug.

 

"I ended it with Laura when Dad won the New Hampshire primary last week, it was so hard to explain why we couldn't be together any more. She was beautiful, clever and also a Med student but couldn't quite understand why I had to end it."


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some days she was counting the months until her dad left office but then he ran for re-election.

Ellie spent as little time on the campaign trail as she was able to and only visited the White House when she had to, preferring to go to the farm in Manchester than the Residence, and shunning her Secret Service detail whenever possible.

There were a few boyfriends but none that were that serious, and some days she was counting the months until her dad left office but then he ran for re-election. She got her medical decree then a post-doctorate fellowship; the issues with funding and Congress messed up things for a while and only confirmed her suspicions that her life wasn't just her own. Then Sara came along, and she was different from the other women Ellie normally liked, and at first sight she liked Sara so much more. Sara had been sitting on the other side of the bookstore, covertly eating a Mars bar, a pile of books on the table in front of her and her light brown hair falling into her eyes.

Ellie wandered over to that side of the shop, her own potential purchases in hand and sat down at the neighbouring table. The other woman looked up as Ellie sat down and they smiled at each other. The two shot frequent glances at each other, until Sara caught Ellie's eye. The both smiled sheepishly and the brunette, stuck out her hand,

"I'm Sara."

Ellie shook it, "Ellie. Do you fancy getting a cup of coffee with me?"

"Thanks, I'd like that."

The pair went to the front of the shop and paid for their books then to the small Starbucks round the corner, which Ellie frequented. The teenager behind the counter recognised Ellie from her frequent visits and asked,

"The usual?"

Ellie nodded, then looked at Sara, to ask what she wanted.

"A grande vanilla latte."

Ellie paid for their orders and they found a table near the emergency exit, Sara seemed not to have noticed her three agents, one at the table by the exit. Another in the queue and third by the door.

They chatted, generally getting to know each other. Ellie debated for a moment then said, "I'm actually Ellie Bartlet, not just Ellie."

Sara seemed confused for a second, then recognition struck.

"You're President Bartlet's daughter?"

Ellie nodded, "one of them", unsure of what to say next, she pushed her hair back behind her ears in a nervous gesture. Sara sipped her coffee, before starting to speak.

"I don't know what to say. It's not the kind of thing that happens very often, you meet someone new, like them and start to get to know them, then find out they're the President's daughter who probably has her own Secret Service agents!"

Ellie winced. Sara hadn't raised her voice, but the things she said were the same thoughts that were running through Ellie's own mind.

"I know." Ellie sighed and ran a hand through her hair. "There are so many days when I wish my dad wasn't President, so that I could have a normal life and date the people I want to."

Ellie's hand fell back onto the table, Sara reached out and took it. Ellie smiled at her and squeezed her hand in return.

"Is there any chance we can see each other and just keep it quiet?" Sara asked, a hopeful expression on her face.

Ellie looked slightly doubtful and replied, "I don't know... but I want to keep seeing you, so I guess we give it a try?"

She smiled nervously and Sara nodded in return, their hands still joined.

"Come back to my apartment for dinner?" Sara asked.

Ellie frowned and shook her head,

"No. Well, I want to but my detail will want to check it out. Mine? And we can talk to agents, try and work something out?"

"Sounds good to me."

They stand, coffees finished, and drop hands after a moment. Sara stands awkwardly as Ellie talks to the man at the table by the door, for the first time she notices that he has an earpiece.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ellie took a sip of coffee from the mug in her right hand and proceeded to relate the events of the night before.

About a week after they first met, the couple went on their first date. Ellie had been able to find somewhere quiet and inconspicuous but which met the Secret Service's requirements. Ellie smoothed her hair down nervously and applied a final coat of mascara; she grabbed her jacket and keys then headed out of the door, an agent following her into the car.

Ellie was nervous as she pushed the restaurant door open, her hands were sweating slightly; there were already an extra couple of agents inside and Sara was already seated at a table by the back wall, a little way from the kitchen door. Sara stood when she saw Ellie come through the door revealing her slender frame in her dark blue jeans and red halter neck top. She hugged Ellie and they kissed softly. Sara smiled appreciatively at Ellie's purple skirt and top.

Dinner was relaxed as they continued to get to know each other; they stayed for quite a while after drinking their coffee sitting and laughing, talking and holding hands on top of the table. The Secret Service drove them back to Ellie's apartment where they continued to talk and kiss until Sara left around two a.m. Ellie woke later than normal, pleased it was Sunday and that she wasn't due in the lab until next day; while drinking coffee she considered whether or not it was to soon to call Sara, so called Millie instead.

The pair caught up on each other's news before Ellie said why she'd actually called,

"I've met someone, about a week ago. Her name is Sara Anderson, she's a photographer, who lives and works here in Baltimore."

"Congratulations, that's great" Millie returned warmly.

"Millie, I really like her." Ellie took a sip of coffee from the mug in her right hand and proceeded to relate the events of the night before. When Ellie finished, Millie asked in an amused tone, why her goddaughter was still talking to her and not to Sara. Ellie giggled, not laughed, actually giggled and blushed despite Millie not being able to see her.

Elle mumbled, "I didn't want to seem to eager."

Millie smiled down the phone and practically ordered Ellie to, "hang up the phone and call Sara."

Ellie did as requested and dialled Sara's number with a slightly shaking hand.

She answered after a few rings, "hello."

Ellie relaxed at the sound of her voice, "Hi, its Ellie."

"Hi Ellie," Sara said warmly, "thank you for last night. I really enjoyed it."

"Me too. I was wondering if you wanted to go out again?"

"I'd love to. Lunch tomorrow?"

Ellie bit her lips slightly; "I'm at the lab all day and only get three quarters of an hour for lunch. Today? A late lunch, maybe a movie too?"

"Sure, sounds good to me. Three o'clock, my apartment?"

"My agents will want to sweep it first, but yep I'll see you at three."

Sara read out her address and Ellie wrote it down; she walked it over to the apartment across the corridor and explained to the agents inside. Two of them set off, allowing Ellie time to shower, change out of her pyjamas and generally get ready before the agents in Sara's apartment gave the ‘all clear' and she could head over. It was on days like this that she counted down until her Dad left office, and she no longer and to clear almost everything with the Secret Service first.

They had a chicken Caesar salad for lunch and started to watch a movie before their lack of concentration on it and more on each other lead them to making out instead.

The next day Ellie contemplated their budding relationship as she conducted a routine experiment. She wondered if it was too soon to fall in love with someone, or if it was just lust making her want to spend all day with or near Sara. The night before it had taken twenty minutes of goodbye kisses until she left. Ellie realised she'd be happy to simply spend the day with Sara, even if it meant she was writing up reports and data while Sara developed her photos in the darkroom or edited and filtered them on her Mac.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zoey looked confused for a second that her sister wasn't answering her own door.

Four months later and still going strong Ellie finally decided to tell her parents the truth, her dad only had a year left in office so there was now longer any danger of her hurting his chance for election or re-election; but most importantly she wanted her parents to meet Sara who had quickly become the most important person in Ellie's life. Only Millie and Zoey knew about her sexuality and relationship with Sara. Telling Zoey had been an accident but she'd suddenly turned up at Ellie's apartment one evening with the desire to spend the weekend with her sister.

_Sara answered the door munching on a piece of pizza, Zoey looked confused for a second that her sister wasn't answering her own door._

_"Hi, I'm Zoey."_

_"Sara." Sara replied, then turned her head and called into the apartment, "Zoey's here!"_

_Ellie stuck her head out through the kitchen doorway in surprise, her body followed and she beckoned her sister inside._

_"Hey Zo, nice to see you. Pizza?" She offered, proffering the freshly opened box._

_Zoey shrugged off her coat and hung it on one of the pegs behind the door, walking further into the apartment and following Sara into the kitchen. She watched the ease with which her sister and Sara moved around the kitchen, setting another place at the table and serving the pizza onto a breadboard. There was a level of familiarity and comfort that you normally saw between married couples and a relaxed demeanour between the two of them that spoke volumes._

_"So, how long have you two been together?" Zoey asked calmly, a broad smile twitching at the corners of her mouth._

_Ellie and Sara glanced at one another, Ellie with a slightly stricken expression and Sara with one of surprise._

_"Four months, and is it that obvious?"_

_Zoey nodded as she bit into her slice of pizza but smiled in a congratulatory way. "Cool, good for you."_

_"How do you think Mom and Dad will react?" Ellie asked nervously, Sara brushed her hand against Ellie's in a calming gesture and smiled._

_"Mom will be fine with it, I think she suspects anyway, I did. Dad will be quiet for a while, while he's getting used to the idea, but I think he'll be happy in the end. No more boyfriends who aren't good enough for you."_

_Ellie nodded, agreeing with Zoey then added, "If he doesn't react that well, I can ask Millie to talk to him."_

_"Millicent knows?" Zoey asked and Ellie replied that she did._

_"She's known for a few years; she was the easiest, and probably the best, person to talk to."_

_Sara smiled at Ellie and linked their fingers together on the tabletop._

_"I met Millie a couple of months ago. She wanted to meet the woman Ellie kept calling her about." Sara shot Ellie an amused smirk, who had the grace to look sufficiently embarrassed. Sara lent over and gave Ellie a swift, light kiss.  
_

Ellie walked up stairs to the Residence, but none of her family members were around. She debated settling herself in the kitchen but instead asked the nearest agent where her mom was. After a few minutes pause, he came back into the room. Mrs Bartlet was in her office.

Ellie knocked on her mother's office door and went in after a moment. Abbey came round her desk and hugged her daughter. "This is an unexpected surprise."

They sat down on one of the sofa and Ellie said, "I've got some news, I've well… I've been seeing someone."

Abbey smiled and nodded for her to continue.

"Her name is Sara." Ellie waited for the realisation to sink in. Abbey looked shocked for a moment then hugged Ellie tightly and whispered "congratulations". Then asked, "How long have you known?"

Ellie sighed, "about ten years, defiantly for the past five. I've been seeing dating Sara for the past four months."

Abbey seemed surprised that Ellie had hidden it for so long.

"I didn't want to damage the campaign or Dad's Presidency but now I think things with Sara are serious, Dad won't be running again and I'm fed up of hiding who I really am, not having you and Dad know the truth."

Abbey pulled Ellie into another hug, feeling guilty that her daughter had felt this pressure and need to hide part of herself from them all, the need to protect her father from something he and the Senior Staff could have dealt with easily if disclosed from the beginning.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> She saw a pink post-it note on the wall ahead of her, with an arrow pointing towards the dining room section of the apartment.

Ellie spent the afternoon with her mother in the Residence catching up, especially information about Sara. Abbey was surprised to learn that Zoey already knew, and that her youngest daughter had kept the secret so well.

"I'd suspected for a while," Abbey stated, "but I'm not sure how much your Dad knows or lets on."

Ellie shrugged, not sure what to say so instead suggested that she and Abbey started to make dinner. Abbey just enjoyed having the time to spend with her middle daughter, and for once took their evening meal instead of having one of the chef's do it. They laughed and talked while cooking, and when Jed arrived in the kitchen, not only was he surprised to see Ellie there, but also that the pair each had glasses of wine while the lasagne cooked in the oven. He kissed Abbey in greeting then hugged and kissed Ellie.

Later, when they'd finished eating, Jed asked in a less surprised tone than before why Ellie was visiting today. Ellie glanced at her mother, who nodded in encouragement.

"For the past four months I've been seeing someone and, it's getting serious".

Jed smiled, Ellie had looked much happier recently, "what's her name then?"

Ellie was surprised. Jed looked amused at the shocked expressions on the faces of his wife and daughter. "You've been looking happier than you ever have with any of your boyfriends."

Ellie grinned, "she's called Sara." She was surprised that her dad was so calm but Abbey seemed to take it in her stride.

After coffee with her parents, and then her dad having to go back to in office, Ellie called Sara.

"Hey it's me."

"Hi Ellie," Sara replied, grinning at the sound of Ellie's voice. "How did things go with your parents?"

"Really well," Ellie enthused, "Mom wasn't too surprised and Dad really knew, which shocked me, he says that I've been looking happier since I met you, happier than with any of my former boyfriends. He's right."

"Now I just want to kiss you," Sara said and sighed. "When are you coming back to Baltimore?"

"Tomorrow after breakfast I think. Will you be at home?"

"Yes, I was planning to develop yesterday's photos. I'll make something for lunch," Sara replied, "let yourself in when you get there."

**

The next day Ellie let herself into Sara's apartment, calling out as she entered, "hello, Sara?"

She saw a pink post-it note on the wall ahead of her, with an arrow pointing towards the dining room section of the apartment. As she rounded the corner Ellie saw that the floor was sprinkled with a line of rose petals leading round the table and towards the door of the master bedroom. Ellie followed the petals through the bedroom door, as she entered she heard a glass of wine being poured. Sara moved into the light of the twinkling fairy lights around her room and Ellie saw that she was wrapped in her silk kimono style robe.

Sara handed her a glass of sparkling white wine and whispered a hello. They kissed softly and slowly, revelling in the feeling of each other even though they had only been apart for a few of days they had become so used to, and comfortable with, seeing each other almost daily. They parted and Ellie took a slip of wine.

They gradually undressed, drinking the wine slowly as they went, made love and dozed, wrapped in each other's arms, until the sun set outside. Happier and more at peace than previously, both a little more relaxed together than before. Both more at ease now that Ellie's parents knew, Sara's had known for some time.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Hi C.J., why are you calling so early?"
> 
> "I've just picked up the morning wires. There's a story reporting that you are involved with a woman called Sara Anderson." C.J. paused for a moment and Ellie sat up in bed. "I wanted a conformation or denial of the story from you before I took it to your father."

One morning the pair woke to the sound of Ellie's ringing phone; she fumbled for the receiver while Sara blurrily squinted at the clock. 7 a.m. too early to be answering the phone.

"Hello?"

"Ellie, it's C.J. Cregg."

"Hi C.J., why are you calling so early?"

"I've just picked up the morning wires. There's a story reporting that you are involved with a woman called Sara Anderson." C.J. paused for a moment and Ellie sat up in bed. "I wanted a conformation or denial of the story from you before I took it to your father."

"How did they find out?" Ellie asked, in a confused tone. "Yes it's true. I haven't noticed any reporters around here; my agents haven't stopped any from trying to talk to me."

"There are some photos; it looks like they were taken with a long lens. There are no direct quotations but the story does go as far to say that you have been together for several months now."

"Yes we have."

"Do you parent's know?"

"I told them a couple of weeks ago. I'm sort of surprised that neither of them told you."

"I'm not Press Secretary any more; I still pick up the wires on relatively quiet mornings or Will brings me items of interest." C.J. paused again. "What do you want me to tell your father?"

Ellie sighed and glanced at Sara who was now sitting next to her looking confused.

"Tell him the truth, and e-mail me a copy of the article. I want to read it." She could hear C.J. nod and shuffle the papers on her desk. "I'll send it in a moment… I'm sorry things are being revealed this way."

"It's not your fault, it's no one's fault. Can you explain everything to Will? I'll come up later and sort out a statement." Ellie could see Sara mouthing something, "hold on C.J." She turned to Sara.

"What's happening? Why are you going up to D.C.?"

"Today an article has been released about us. C.J. needed a conformation or denial and is going to tell my Dad." Ellie paused for a moment. "Will you come up to D.C. with me?"

Sara nodded at once, "of course."

Ellie returned the phone to her ear, "We'll both come up, talk to my Dad, you and Will. Can you sort it out?"

"Yes, I'll have Margaret call you in a few minutes when she's co-ordinated with everyone. See you soon."

Around an hour after C.J. had hung up, Sara and Ellie were on their way to the White House. It was a tense drive, with the couple each re-reading the article and accompanying images. One picture was of Ellie and Sara standing half hidden by Sara's porch, kissing good-bye, a few mornings before. The other was the pair walking hand in hand out of a restaurant.

The car pulled up to the Northwest entrance, Margaret met the two women at the door and took them through to security. Ellie didn't need to sign in, but Sara was issued with an appointment tag and she hung it round her neck. Margaret chatted cheerfully to them both, and then handed them over to Debbie outside the Oval Office.

Sara gripped Ellie's hand, "I'm about to meet your Dad and he's the President of the United Sates!"

"Don't worry." Ellie soothed and stroked Sara's hand with her thumb. Debbie entered the Oval Office briefly then returned to the outer office. "You can go in." She smiled at Ellie and Sara.

Ellie led the way and her Dad came forward to hug her. Sara moved closer to Ellie and Jed.

"I'm Jed Bartlet, nice to meet you. I'm sorry it isn't under better circumstances."

"Sara Anderson." They shook hands.

The three chatted for a few minutes, with Jed and Sara dominating the conversation, until C.J. and Will entered the room who each introduced themselves in turn.

"It is inevitable that I will be asked questions at my briefing this afternoon; this morning the article wasn't widely known but by noon the press corps will all have it. We want to co-ordinate a statement with the two of you, that I will read at the briefing." Will started Ellie and Sara nodded.

"We will work out the statement," Will continued, "then bring it you Mr President and C.J."

The President nodded and sent them out of the room. Ellie and Sara followed Will to his office and crafted a statement stating that the article was correct but that Ellie wished her private to remain exactly that, private. The statement was succinct and to the point; Will had C.J. and the President agree to it, then Ellie and Sara stayed in C.J.'s office to watch the briefing.

"Good afternoon everyone. I have a short statement to read, and then I will take your questions. Earlier today the ‘Baltimore Sun' published an article stating that Eleanor Bartlet was in a relationship with another woman. This is true, but the couple and the Bartlet family wish for Ellie's private life to remain private." Will stopped and the reporters immediately started to shout his name.

"Barry," he pointed to a reporter.

"Will, how will this announcement impact the President's religious supporters? And does he plan to address the issue in terms of religion?"

"President Bartlet does not plan make a statement on the matter, as far as I am aware he separates his religious beliefs from his political views and does not believe that the government should dictate who you can or cannot fall in love with."

"As far as you are aware?" Many reporters asked, "meaning that you have not discussed policy with the President?"

"I meant that I have not discussed this specific issues with him in terms of political policy."

"President Bartlet will yet again be criticized for alienating the religious right." Barry continued.

"I do not think that is a problem," Will said, heatedly, "it is not President Bartlet's job to pander to the needs or desires of the entire country. He has been elected, and re-elected I may add, because he governs the country effectively and fairly."

Back in her office, C.J., Ellie and Sara winced at Will's fumbling. Sara jumped as the reporters all stood up. In the pressroom the door had suddenly opened and the President had entered; the Press Corps stood and Will backed away from the podium, allowing Jed Bartlet to take his place.

"Please, sit down." He placed his hands on top of the podium and began to speak, "I strongly suggest that the press stays away from my daughter, away from all of them. Private relationships should not affect political policy. It is Ellie's private life to live however she wishes and I support their relationship."

The president then left as abruptly as he had entered, leaving Will to continue the briefing, or at least try to control it.

In C.J.'s office Sara and Ellie hugged and a moment later, a knock on the door between the Chief of Staff's office and the Oval Office, parted them. Mrs Bartlet entered and immediately hugged her daughter.

"Mom this is Sara. Sara, Mom."

"Pleased to meet you Mrs Bartlet," Sara said nervously.

"Abbey, please." Abbey answered, and then kissed Sara on the cheek.

"Will the two of you come up to the Residence for lunch?"

Sara and Ellie agreed so Abbey swept them away upstairs.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sara sounded half confused, and half desperate for things just to be normal, but when your girlfriend comes with a Secret Service detail, life is anything but normal.

The next morning as she left her apartment and studio Sara encountered around twenty reporters waiting outside the front door of her building. As she stepped through the doors camera started to flash and they called her name. Sara was shocked and returned hurriedly to the apartment, grabbing her phone from her pocket and dialling from memory.

"Ellie, it's me."

"Hey, what's wrong?" Ellie could hear the tension in Sara's voice.

"There are a bunch of reporters outside my apartment! When I went outside they started taking photos and yelling my name."

"Honey, don't worry. Go back upstairs and I'll get C.J. to give you a call in a few minutes. Are you ok?"

"Yeah," Sara sighed as she walked back upstairs. "I'm okay, it's just a shock. I didn't expect them to be there. What do I do?"

"Can you stay inside for a while? See if they go away. Talk to C.J. and I'll see if I can come over, get a long lunch or something."

Sara let herself into her apartment. "Yeah I'll develop some more photos. It'd be great if you could come over."

Ellie agreed to try. She hung up with Sara and dialled the White House.

"White House switchboard."

"C.J. Cregg please," she was put through to Margaret. "Hi Margaret, can you put me through to C.J.? It's urgent."

C.J. picked up the ringing extension.

"C.J. Cregg."

"C.J., it's Ellie. There are some reporters outside Sara's apartment. There were a few outside mine but the agents got rid of them before I came out, I didn't really think anything of it."

"The two of you were on the news last night, so I'm not too surprised. Tell Sara to just walk quickly past, and that she doesn't have to answer any questions."

"Can you call her?" Ellie asked, "It'll sound better coming from you."

C.J. agreed, and scribbled down Sara's number. After a moment she and Ellie hung up.

"Margaret! I need to see Will ASAP."

C.J. then dialled Sara's number, "Sara? It's C.J. Cregg."

"Hi C.J."

"Ellie called me, and told me what happened. When you go outside, just walk quickly past. You don't have you answer any of the questions if you don't want to."

"Easier said than done," Sara muttered, loud enough for C.J. to hear.

"I know but I'm trying to sort things out at this end, and get them to leave you alone."

"Thanks. I mean I realised there'd be a consequence to being the woman dating one of the President's daughters but I didn't imagine, in my naivety, that it would include the press.

"For the first time in my life I feel like my every move is being watched. Ellie and I will be photographed together whatever we do. Would it be so bad if those photos are of us kissing or just being a couple together in public?"

Sara sounded half confused, and half desperate for things just to be normal, but when your girlfriend comes with a Secret Service detail, life is anything but normal.

"No it wouldn't be that bad. In some ways it would be better now, that you're out together openly, rather than to revert back to hiding it." C.J. sighed down the phone; Sara heard the office door open and a woman talking. "Sorry Sara, I've got to go to my next meeting. Don't answer their questions."

They hung up. Sara pottered around the apartment for a while, fiddling with her photos but with no particular aim in mind. Eventually Sara steeled herself to go outside, she gathered up her coat and bag and slipped her mobile phone back into her pocket. She locked her apartment door and went downstairs; there were fewer reporters outside. She moved through the doorway and down the steps at the front. Those left began to call her name; Sara walked quickly past and got into her car. Thankfully they stopped shouting but continued to take photos as she drove away.

Sara did her food shopping and picked up her dry cleaning before returning home. There were a group of reporters still outside her apartment building but the number didn't seem to have grown since she'd left an hour or so before. She walked quickly past as before and returned upstairs to her apartment.

As she put the bags down in the kitchen her phone started to ring, Sara answered and smiled when she heard Ellie's voice. She began to unpack her bags, the phone tucked between her shoulder and head, chatting to Ellie as she moved about the kitchen. 

"There are less reporters, it's not too bad now, and well it's better than before at any rate. I think there are more photographers."

They talked for a few more minutes then Ellie left, her break ending, with a promise to come over straight after work.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It is an intensely coloured piece that has the highest price tag; an A3 canvas print depicting the light though stained glass windows.

More papers the next morning covered the Ellie and Sara story, now with more recent pictures and a comment from the White House but it slipped to page 2 or 3 instead of the front. Sara’s phone started ringing from quite early on, reporters requesting interviews with her or her and Ellie. By 11 am and more phone calls than she cared to count, Sara unplugged her phone from the wall. When she went down to the lobby, to collect her post, Sara could see the crowd of reporters outside.

By the fourth day, instead of purposely not looking at the reporters when she glanced out the window, Sara took photos instead. They were mainly of the rabble, some colour and some black and white. She took the same shot, zooming in more a few times, getting more detail with each. Later she processed the photos, loading them onto her iMac, and noting details that interested her. Several of the photographers looked rather the worse for wear, too many late nights in a row. Others were scruffily dressed either through lack of care or even leaving hastily that morning. The reporters looked shabby, not exactly scruffy, but it didn't tie in with her previous view of the media, the idea that they were perfect or gave the appearance of it.

The hounding by the press became akin to that of Kate Middleton in England but not as bad. The stories and photos continued, with one especially memorable incident at a club, about two months after the first article. It had been a birthday party in a private room for one of Ellie’s friends. The usual Secret Service background check on all guests, and a few extra agents, they’d learnt from Zoey’s kidnapping. The party had been winding down, some slow songs playing, Ellie and Sara dancing and kissing along with the other couples.

Two photographers burst through the doors, immediately starting to photograph the room, before being hauled away by the Secret Service. The interruption shook those left in the room. Effectively ending the party, with Ellie apologising to her friend and Sara wishing that her hand hadn’t been on Ellie’s ass, as that picture would surely be published the next day. The resulting bump in Service protection and an increase in journalists around both women made then wonder, not for the first time, why their persecution continued despite their lives being particularly interesting.

As the Presidential race began to heat up nationally, attention diverted away from Ellie and Sara, towards the suspecting or unsuspecting campaign staff. This shift in focus allowed Ellie to move in with Sara quietly and her agents to affectively dispatch the, now occasional, reporter or photographer. The dip in press coverage also allowed Sra to put together her latest exhibition in peace, including photos of the press during the veritable feeding frenzy of the media that their lives had become.

The exhibition was in a small private gallery in Baltimore, aimed towards up-and-coming artists and photographers similar to Sara. The first night, invitation only, was made up of press, friends both artistic and not, Ellie and the President and First Lady, and their combined Secret Service details.

Ellie and her agents arrived earlier in the evening than her parents and was chatting to some of Sara’s more familiar friends when she saw a sudden influx in the number of black suited men and women in the room. The people in front of her stopped talking, and she spun round to see her father standing behind her.

“Hi Dad,” she greeted him with a hug.

“Danny, Lou, this is Jed Bartlet.”

“Nice to meet you, sir,” Danny replied and shook hands with Jed. Her father then turned to Louise, and they did the same. Ellie stayed and chatted with the group for a few minutes before walking away to find her mother.

Ellie was pleased to see Abbey and Sara standing together, seemingly talking about one of Sara’s photos.

“I hadn’t realised quite how much press attention you had received.” Abbey said, as Ellie approached.

“There were days when I really struggled to get out of crowd of reporters, but whenever Ellie came over, the Secret Service forced them back and since she’s moved in things are much better.” Sara laughed, “Although that’s also ‘cause there are no more reporters outside.”

Ellie snaked an arm around Sara’s waist and they kissed lightly. “Hi mom,” she moved forward and hugged her mother before returning to Sara’s side.

The night progressed gently and Jed noticed a familiar face among the crowd.

“Danny.” Jed tapped the man on the shoulder, and he spun round.

“Mr President.”

“What are you doing here? I didn’t know you’d switched from politics to art.”

The redheaded reported grinned slightly sheepishly, “I haven’t, sir. I’m actually here on a date with one of our Art’s reporters.”

Jed smiled warmly, “I won’t interrupt then,” and walked away.

**

The inclusion of President Bartlet and the First Lady to the invite list of last night’s showing at the Weiland gallery, in central Baltimore, was a surprise to some but expected by many. The photographs on display are by Sara Anderson, and her black and white images of the reporters of photographers outside her apartment, showed many people for the first time the true extent of press attention she and Ellie Bartlet received.

However, it is an intensely coloured piece that has the highest price tag; an A3 canvas print depicting the light though stained glass windows, falling onto crisp white bed sheets and the silhouette of a young woman marring the colour of several panes. Upon questioning, Anderson revealed the silhouette to be none other than Ellie Bartlet. Attendance of this event by the First Couple publicly marked their acceptance of Ellie Bartlet and Sara Anderson’s relationship, more than previous statements and press briefings ever could.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sara seemed to have become in unofficial family photographer, not in a paparazzi or journalistic way but taking photos the family liked and enjoyed.

Ellie came home from work one day in mid-November, she unwrapped her scarf and warmed her hands on the radiator for a moment before taking her coat off and calling a hello to Sara. She heard a mumbled reply from the kitchen and her partner walked towards her munching a carrot.

“Sorry I’m late,” Ellie apologised and stole some of the carrot, popping it into her own mouth. They wandered towards the kitchen and chatted through their cooking of dinner.

“I got an unexpected offer today.” Sara motioned for Ellie to continue, “Dartmouth’s microbiology department. They want to expand their research and offered me a position, based on the HPV work from a few years ago.”

Ellie took a slip of water and fiddled with her fork for a moment. “I really like the idea but wanted to talk to you before making a decision. If I took the job offer, would you move to Hanover with me?”

Sara thought for a moment. “I could still photograph and paint, the leaf peeping last month was gorgeous.” She nodded and leant over the table to kiss Ellie. “Accept the job, we’re moving to Hanover.”

**

It took nearly two months for Ellie and Sara to sell Sara’s apartment in Baltimore, and buy a three-bedroom house Hanover meaning that they were unpacking over the New Year. Sara enjoyed redecorating some rooms while Ellie settled in at Dartmouth but soon focused on her painting and photography again.

Inauguration day, Jed’s last day in office, soon rolled around. Ellie and Sara joined Liz, Doug and their children at the Bartlet farm in Manchester in the evening and waited for the arrival of Zoey and Charlie who was later finally followed by Jed and Abbey. Jed’s reluctance to see anyone was soon outweighed by pleasure at seeing his daughters happy, and all at home. Ellie took the opportunity to spend time with both her sisters, a rare thing since leaving home and she was pleased to see Sara chatting to her parents and Annie, Doug and Liz’s eldest.

Sara seemed to have become in unofficial family photographer, not in a paparazzi or journalistic way but taking photos the family liked and enjoyed. On that particular evening she took a poignant photo of Jed with his cane, leaning against one of the fences looking out to the surrounding fields and expansive sky.

The next morning Ellie woke to find the other side of the bed had gone cold; she pulled a jumper on over her pyjamas and wandered downstairs. She heard voices coming from the kitchen and was surprised to see her dad and her partner standing together while Sara cooked pancakes and Jed stood teaching her trivia. They both smiled at her entrance,  
“Just in time, the this is the last pancake” Jed indicated the one in the frying pan and walked towards the large wooden table to one side of the kitchen.

Ellie was distributing plates around the table as Abbey and Liz both appeared, searching for coffee and woken by the smell of food. Liz went to wake Doug but let their children sleep while Ellie woke Zoey and Charlie with mugs of coffee. By the time most of the family was gathered in the kitchen and eating the room was filled with a hubbub of voices. Ellie slipped into a sit next to Sara but continued on her conversation with Charlie and Zoey as Sara chatted to Liz. She was happy that they’d both been accepted into her family, and now that her dad’s Presidency was over her life, their life, could return to a more “normal” form without Secret Service agents protecting her and reporters following them.

Sara turned to her and smiled, “happy?”

“Yes.”

THE END


End file.
